By A Correspondent| The Zimbabwe government officials on Friday night kicked the World Cup Netball players out of their hotel in Liverpool. They put them into a hostel, contrary to what the Netball President President Leticia Chipandu had told ZimEye just an hour before (See LIVE broadcast, timeline 22:30).
She said reports of the players getting a paltry 50bond allowance were false.
As the team walked out of the VIP exit gate, their counterparts, Ireland had only 18 travelers, including players. A full netball team has 7 players. Zimbabwe’s delegation was a whopping 54, and appearing on camera, 43 predominantly non-netball members. 4 were government ministers, the rest, unidentified.
As they walked out of the gate area, an unidentified elderly woman was filmed screaming to sky heaven, celebrating, “Bhora rakanaka razotiunzawo kuEngland”, instead of thanking the hard-working girls, she thanked Netball, the game.
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In the brief interview, Mrs Chipandu said, “there is nothing like that, no 50 Bond, no nothing. We will show you the contract when we settle. As I am telling you right now the government has already paid for the accommodation where we are going. The money was wired through our embassy, the balance has all been paid. Things are almost, I can say the under control. What I can say is…(interruption)”
Are they going to be in a hotel not a hostel?, Simba Chikanza asked. To this she replied saying, “no they are going to ibis, which is very close to the arena, yes. So I would wish people could look for the correct information, rather than rely on the viral things that go on social media, which are not true. I am here as the president, you ask me questions I will give you answers,” she said.
Within minutes of that promise however, Leticia Chipandu had shifted position.
The Zim Netball players were pushed into a dingy student housing facility called, Liberty Living Accommodation, as ZimEye reveals.
ZimEye quickly rushed to the scene at just after midnight. (See our LIVE broadcsdt below)
It was also revealed that 4 hotel rooms have been reserved for government ministers.
At around 1am Saturday however, following pressure, the team was successfully relocated. By that time however, many team players had already slept on empty stomachs, tired and worn out.
The Netball leadership and some officials had spent hours back at the Hotel Ibis in some sort of a meeting.
ZimEye arrived at the Liberty Accomodation property where we toured the area and were told by property officials that the netball team had complained of room conditions and were successfully relocated. ZinEye could not ascertain if all players had been moved.
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ZimEye then rushed to Hotel Ibis where we carried out a news review. WATCH the full 49 minute review below: